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DAY TRIP: Hunting for local history? Fulton has your quarry

BY ANDREA MILLS
For Sauk Valley Media

June 22, 2018

FULTON – A couple who began mining a former quarry for a place to live more than a half-century ago ended up striking a rich vein of local history. Today, people can see their historical handiwork on self-guided tours that take them back to a simpler time.

Nestled among nature’s beauty, Heritage Canyon offers visitors a break from the noisy hustle and bustle of city life in 12 acres of cool, quiet surroundings.

Harold and Thelma Wierenga took what was once an eyesore and created not only a place to live, but a collection of buildings arranged as an 1800s-era town, incorporating and blending the buildings into their surroundings, leaving nature as undisturbed as possible.

PHOTO: Heritage Canyon is nestled in an old limestone quarry that operated from the mid-1800s to 1954. (Photos by Andrea MIlls for Sauk Valley Media)

From the mid-1800s to 1954 the site was a limestone quarry where rock was crushed for field fertilizer, road beds, wing dams, and levees. The Wierengas bought it in 1967, building a home on the site of the old rock crusher. They continued work on the quarry with two goals in mind: preserving the area’s history and leaving nature as untouched as possible.After Harold died in January 1999, his daughter and son-in-law maintained the canyon before turning over ownership to the city in October 2005. Two years later, Thelma died and today, a memorial near the entrance honors the couple.

The walk begins by following numbered yellow arrows at the town hall and fire house building. I then walked across the swinging bridge, which is something you don’t want to miss – as long as you're up to taking the canyon’s rougher trail option.

From there I walked through the woods up to the log cabin with its tool shed. According to a sign out front, the cabin was built in the traditional way, which was usually on the small side. It looked cozy enough to settle down in.

PHOTO: The path from the log cabin leads to the covered bridge, which visitors can walk over, or under. Inside, a number of old ads line the walls.

After that I went to the 52-foot-long covered bridge. The inside was lined with old ads, a nostalgic nod to the past, which I found reassuring as I made my way into town. First, though, I stopped at the canyon church and then counted the frogs at the small mill. I saw five. I also noticed that the steps and handrail came from the Fulton City Jail.

Then, off I went to take a look at the doctor’s office and an 1860s house that came from somewhere near Garden Plain. The doctor’s office also had roots in Garden Plain, where it came from the Temple family farm.

I made my way down the main pathway and under the covered bridge. As I walked along, I began to see signs telling me about the “Great Flood of Heritage Canyon July 22, 2017” and just how large – and deep – the flood’s footprints were.

PHOTO: The print shop has a foot-operated press. According to a Heritage Canyon brochure, it's similar to the kind that Benjamin Franklin used.

Arriving in the town, I came upon the one-room schoolhouse, which was adorable, and the blacksmith shop and wagon works. Inside, some of the tools dated back from the 1830s.

Naturally, I had to check out the Keystone Print Shop as that’s the industry I made my career in. Then came my favorite stop: the general store. Among the countless items on display were pipes salvage from an 1896 clay pipe factory. Visitors can wander through the first and second floors and see a number of businesses displayed throughout. Look for the mortuary, photo shop, bank and shoe repair, among others. I found it fascinating to walk through a building almost devoid of any visitors – I was there on a quiet day in the middle of the week.

PHOTO: The schoolhouse sits in the main part of town, ready to welcome students. Heritage Canyon is open for self-guided tours, or tours can be arranged for groups of 10 or more.

That ended my tour, but it whet my appetite to return when the Early American Crafters, Civil War re-enactors and others are at the canyon. The Early American Crafters, especially, make the area come alive during special events. Look for the canyon to be filled with people during Dutch Days the first weekend in May, Fall Festival the last weekend in September, Beggar’s Night the third Saturday in October, and the Christmas Walk the first Friday in December.

Until then, head over to Fulton and take the self-guided walk. It’s right across the street from the Mississippi River and the location couldn’t be lovelier.

PHOTO: Harold and Thelma Wierenga took what was once an eyesore and created not only a place to live, but a collection of buildings arranged as an 1800s-era town. The Early American Crafters, Civil War re-enactors and others man the canyon on special occasions. The next one is for Fall Festival, the last weekend in September.

IF YOU GO ...

What: Heritage Canyon

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 15 to Dec. 15, weather permitting

Where: 515 N. Fourth St., Fulton

Cost: $2 admission for adults and $1 for children during events; other times by donation

Distance: 39.5 miles from Dixon

Accessible: Canyon mostly accessible to wheelchairs; during events motorized cart available for elderly or physically challenged

Information: City of Fulton, Tourism Department, 815-589-3925 or cityoffulton.us

Visitors can look inside the canyon church, which, according to the Heritage Canyon brochure, is a favorite spot for weddings, along with the old mill area. The church has pews, an altar, organ, pulpit, bells in a tower and a Baptismal font.

An look inside of a cabin in Heritage Canyon in Fulton shows a scene that beckons visitors to a time gone by. The cabin represents a typical pioneer home.

On display at the general store: items salvaged from an 1896 clay pipe factory. Visitors can go inside the building and explore both downstairs and upstairs.